fisher



(No Model.)

T. N. FISHER. COFFIN PROTECTOR.

No. 483,780. Patented Oct. 4, 1892.

I N'VENTOR $532M CJZMM w z f y #366 @MM UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS N. FISHER, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO GEORGE H. SMITH ANDLEANORA E. FISHER, OF SAME PLACE.

COFFlN-PROTECTOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 483,780, dated October4, 1892.

Application filed May 21, 1892. Serial No. 483,793. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS N. FISHER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Cleveland, in the county of Ouyahoga and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Safety Covers or Guardsfor Burial-Caskets; and I do hereby declare that the following is afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

My invention relates to safety covers or guards for burial-caskets; andthe object of the invention is to provide means which will render itpractically impossible with ordinary agencies to approach and remove aburied casket, and thus prevent the grave from being robbed. These meansconsist in a heavy plate of metal, which is designed to rest upon thebox containing the casket in the grave, and is provided with spursdriven through suitable keepers,ho1es, or passages in the said coverinto the earth, substantially as shown and described, and particularlypointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a plan view of my improvedsafety-cover with the spurs or spikes in operative position. Fig. 2represents a coffin 0r casket case or box lowered in the grave and theearthen walls in section at the ends and showing a 1ongitudinal sectionof my improved cover resting on the case and disclosing the meanswhereby the end spurs or spikes are locked on the said cover, as well astheir penetration into the earth. Fig. 3 shows a cross-section of myimproved cover across the holes for the side spurs and with its sideedges slightly turned up and adapted to be used with the spikes whendriven at an angle to the sides of the grave. Fig. 4 is an edge view ofone of the spurs or spikes used at the ends of the cover, and Fig. 5 anedge view of one of the spurs or spikes used at the sides of the cover.Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section of one of the keep ers for the endspurs and showing the springlock therein to engage the notches of thespurs.

A represents an iron plate having the dimensions of the grave in lengthand width and resting upon the outer box or receptacle. This plate maybe made of cast-iron or other suitable metal, but preferably is made ofboiler-iron, and is in itself when down of such weight and has suchposition in the grave that alone it would be difficult to remove.However, it is not designed to operate alone and is provided at each endwith three several keepers 0., arranged to flare slightly between theirsides, and in these keepers are spring-catches (1', adapted to engagenotches or serrations b on the pikes B. These pikes are made, say, oftire-iron or the like, and ordinarily are about three feet in length,though theymay have greater or less length, according to the nature ofthe ground and other conditions. As they are driven into the ground theteeth or serrations I? lock on the springoatches a and prevent them frombeing drawn out. Each of the said pikes has a suitable head to limit itsmovement, so that they cannot be driven entirely through the keepers andthus gotten rid of.

The sides of the cover A are in this instance turned up more or less, asshown at a corresponding somewhat to the angle at which the pikes O areto be driven in the earth. These pikes or spikes pass through holes inthe edges of the cover and have spring fins or projections c atintervals along their sides, which of course engage the earth in any ef-8o fort to draw them out and prevent said pikes from being drawn out.The said pikes also have heads bearing against the flat surface of thecover, preventing them from being driven beyond that point. These sidepikes may or may not be used, but they aitord considerable additionalsecurity in the earth, as it is ordinarily found in burial grounds.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-= 1. As a new article of manufacture, acover for burial-cases, consisting of a metal plate constructed to restimmediately upon the case said keepers and serrated on one side to en-10 gage the look a, substantially as described.

Witness my hand to the foregoing specification.

THOMAS N. FISHER.

Witn esses:

H. T. FISHER, NELLIE L. MOLANE.

